FC0-U71 Infrastructure Practice Question
Which of the following is used to translate human-readable domain names (like www.example.com) into IP addresses that computers use to identify each other on the network?
⚠ Common exam trap
FC0-U71 often tests whether candidates confuse the service that assigns an IP address (DHCP) with the service that resolves a name to an IP address (DNS) — both are commonly bundled together in client configuration, which causes the mix-up.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
DNS
DNS (Domain Name System) is the hierarchical, distributed naming system that resolves human-readable hostnames such as www.example.com into the numeric IP addresses (e.g., 93.184.216.34) that hosts use for routing. It operates primarily over UDP port 53 for queries, with TCP 53 used for zone transfers and large responses. Without DNS, users would have to memorize IP addresses for every service they access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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NAT
Why it's wrong here
NAT rewrites IP addresses and ports in packet headers as traffic crosses a router; it never resolves hostnames. It is tempting because both operate on addressing, and NAT would be the correct answer for translating private addresses to public ones for outbound internet access.
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HTTP
Why it's wrong here
HTTP is the application-layer protocol that carries web requests and responses; it transports a URL after DNS has already resolved the name. It is tempting because URLs containing domain names appear in HTTP requests, and HTTP would be correct for describing how a browser retrieves a web page.
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DHCP
Why it's wrong here
DHCP assigns IP addresses, subnet masks, gateways and DNS server addresses to hosts; it does not resolve names to addresses. It is tempting because DHCP often hands out the DNS server address, and it would be the correct answer for automatically configuring a client's network settings.
- ✓
DNS
Why this is correct
DNS resolves human-readable domain names into the numeric IP addresses computers use for routing. It satisfies the stem's translation requirement, operating as a hierarchical query system where resolvers contact root, TLD and authoritative name servers to return the matching address record.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This FC0-U71 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the FC0-U71 exam.